August 2018
Go Tell It On The Mountain
Monthly Newsletter
Skyland Community Church, United Church of Christ
Sunday Worship Service 10:30 a. m.
Calendar
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August 5
10:30 a.m. Communion Worship Service in Whitaker Hall
Welcome Pastor Jean Jeffress after Service (finger foods, please!)

August 12
10:30 a.m. Family Worship Service
Trustees Meeting after Service (possibly)
Deacons Meeting after Service

August 19
10:30 a.m. Worship Service
Potluck after Service

August 26
10:30 a.m. Worship Service
Church Council Meeting after Service
Welcome, Pastor Jean Jeffress!

Pastor Jean Jeffress will join us for the first time as our new Bridge Pastor, will be joining us for the first time Sunday, August 5 th . She will be leading our worship services during August and most of September until our Interim Minister, Rev. Kevin Omi arrives. She will also be available one other day during the week for pastoral care and/or meetings. The deacons will be coordinating those times with her and will let you know what they are. 

We are especially pleased to have Pastor  Jeffress with us. She is passionate about worship services that lift the spirit and restore, renew, and rejuvenate people and believes that powerful worship can inform and empower us to move into the world strengthened by the spirit of God to do the work we are called to do. 

Although Pastor Jeffress is new to us, she is not new to our area. She grew up in San Jose and spent much of her teenage years traipsing around Los Gatos.  Currently she lives in Oakland and will be commuting from there. 

Please bring finger food to share as we meet and welcome Pastor Jeffress during an enhanced coffee hour in Whitaker Hall following the service on Sunday August 5 th .


To learn more about the Interim period, the progress in the search for the Interim Minister and other transitions at Skyland please visit the Transitions page: http://skylandchurch.com/ transitions/


LITANY THROUGHOUT THE INTERIM PERIOD


For God’s holy presence amidst change, we pray. 
For comfort because loss is part of change, we pray. 
For Christ-like steadfastness during the challenges of transition and seasons of faith, we pray. 
For reassurance through frailty and failings, we pray. 
For the abundant creativity the Spirit provides, we pray. 
For our loved ones in this community of faith, we pray. 
For God’s children beyond this community, we pray.


Harvest Festival Plans
73rd Annual
Harvest Festival
at Skyland Church

SAVE THE DATE ! !

When : Saturday, September 15, 2016 
Time:  10:00 am until 3:00 pm
Where:  25100 Skyland Road
Phone:  (408) 353-1310
S kyland Community Church in the Santa Cruz Mountains hosts its annual Harvest Festival this September. Get ready for a truly great experience.
Jams and Jellies, apricots, peach and pickles are being canned now. 
Plants are potted, and Silent Auction items are coming in.  Emile’s Dinner at Silver Mountain , tickets for DeYoung and  Shakespeare At  Ashland  Oregon.

Come enjoy wedding cake with Leslie & Roger!

Leslie Meehan and Roger Sanford are getting married in San Jose August 25th! Please come celebrate with us at the August 19th church service potluck with a special "Strawberry Shortcake" wedding cake.  Leslie's daughter (and Skylander) Lisa, Leslie's parents John & Ellie, and Lisa's boyfriend Adam will be here to celebrate too. 
We're so very blessed to be part of the Skyland family. 
We hope to see you on the 19th. 
Love,
Leslie & Roger

Church Council News
++++++++++++++++++++++
At the Church Council meeting on July 22, the main topic of discussion was the formation of a Transition Committee, as requested by our incoming interim minister, Rev. Kevin Omi. This group will support Rev. Omi during the first several months of his time with us, serving as a resource for both Rev. Omi and the congregation and helping with communication regarding the interim process.Although Pastor Jeffress will only be with us a short time, the Council felt it would be helpful to her, as well, so decided to form this committee sooner rather than later. Several members present at the meeting volunteered to serve on the committee. Glenda McCalla will represent the Deacons, Deana Arnold will represent the Council, and Mary Ellen McTamaney will represent the wider church community. Following the meeting, Jeremy Cole and John Heyes volunteered to bring their experience with Pastoral Relations and the Missions Board. (Glenda and John were also part of the Interim Search Committee, so they will be familiar faces to Rev. Omi.) Transition Committees (also termed “Transition Teams” in the UCC) are commonly formed to support new ministers. More information on the interim period can be found in the Guide to Pastoral Search and Call. 
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Flowers for the Altar

Several Sundays during the summer are open for floral gifts. Please sign up on the calendar in Whitaker Hall. You can check the calendar in the links at the end of this newsletter.
John Heyes
Missions Board Delivers!

Africa Library Project
We have great books this year! We have completed the first sorting part of the work and will be packing books in the coming week. Check with Cindy to see whether more packing is needed for our 1,000-1,200 books for Sierra Leone.   During the summer, we will be collecting the $600 from the congregation for shipping our books to New Orleans where they will put in shipping containers.
Contact: Cindy Siwajek

Local Support
Mental Health Community Action Network in Santa Cruz helps those transitioning into homes. 
We are collecting socks, coats and sleeping bags. If anyone has a diaper changing table we are still looking for one. 

Contact: Shannon Edwards
MEDITATION MOMENT

So in every possible case He that is not free is not an agent, but a patient.

— John Wesley, Sermon lxvii    
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 NOTE From Your Treasurer
Second month into our new fiscal year, June 2018 through May 2019.
All accounts are near the adopted financial plan, noting in the red.
 
We are able to accept credit card payments for pledge, general and special offerings if that is more convenient than check or cash. See either Jan or myself after service for these transactions.
 
Here is our operating finances as of July 29 for our 2018-19 fiscal year.

Summary of Operating Finances
__________July 2018
__________Actual____Planned 
Income___$21,078___ $ 18,242
Expenses_$ 9,134___$ 18,805
Net______$11,944___$__6,437

Jun 1, 2018 to June 27, 2018
__________Actual______Planned
Income__$ 40,402___ $ 37,675
Expenses _ $ 21,579__$ 30,154
Net_______$_12,823__$_7,521

Note: These fiscal year actuals do not include non-budgeted special and local Mission gifts and outreach.

Sincerely,
Gerald J. Alonzo, Treasurer
Quick Links
Skyland Community Church, United Church of Christ
25100 Skyland Road, Los Gatos, CA 95033
phone: 408-353-1310
USPS mail: Skyland Church
P.O. Box 245
Los Gatos, CA 95031-0245
Website 
http://skylandchurch.com